Vanderbilt researchers present talent data at Rome conference

Two Vanderbilt University researchers traveled to Rome in October to present decades of work on intellectual ability.

Camilla Benbow and David Lubinski attended the 2026 Talent Economics Conference. The event ran from October 21 to 23. It was organized by the Global Talent Fund and the Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance.

The conference focused on the economic and educational value of high talent. Speakers discussed how to identify gifted young people earlier. They also examined how these individuals contribute to innovation and growth.

Benbow serves as the Patricia and Rodes Hart Dean of Education and Human Development at Peabody College. Lubinski is the Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Psychology Emeritus and professor emeritus of psychology and human development. Both have led the Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth at Vanderbilt for many years.

On October 23, the pair delivered a joint keynote at Rome Dialogues II. This event marked the close of the conference. Before the main sessions, Lubinski led a masterclass titled The Psychology of Intellectual Talent for early-career researchers.

During that workshop, Lubinski presented data on cognitive abilities. He noted that the top 1 percent of mathematical, spatial, and verbal reasoning scores contains over one-third of the ability range. He stated that individual differences in these patterns lead to distinct educational and occupational outcomes.

Benbow said Peabody’s mission is to discover how people learn and thrive. She added that their work helps understand highly talented individuals on a global stage.